Rail-brace.



J. D. SPRATT.

RAIL BRAC'E.

PPLIOATIONTILED J 1,039,609. Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-$111131 2 JOSEPH I). SPRATT, OF WOLF CREEK, TENNESSEE.

RAIL-BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented se t. 24., 1912.

Application filed July 16, 1912. Serial No. 709,668.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH D. SPRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wolf Creek, in the county of Cooke and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Braces, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to devices to be secured to the rails of railway tracks adjacent to switches and on curves to hold the rails in their proper relative position to prevent them from spreading because of the jarring exerted thereon by trains passing thereover, and has for its object the provision of blocks having cleats formed inte gral therewith and adapted to engage the base flanges of the rail and other cleats removably secured to said blocks ada ted to cooperate with the integral cleats a oresaid to securely clamp the rails, said blocks being connected by means of a cross bar formed preferably of discarded rails.

My invention will be described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

F igure 1 is a plan view of a fragment of a rai way track showing the application of my invention to the track adjacent to a switch; Fig. 2, a similar view of a curved track showing the braces in position thereon; Fig. 3, a top plan view of one of the blocks showing the removable cleats in posi tion thereon; Fig. 4:, a longitudinal sectional view of the block on the plane indicated by the line it-4: of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an end View of the block; and Fig. 6, a side elevation thereof in an inverted position.

In the drawings similar reference charac: ters will be used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

As heretofore stated, my improved rail brace is adapted to be secured to the rails to prevent them from spreading and is particularly applicable to the road bed adjacent to a switch and in curves as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the rails are indicated at A, and my improved brace is shown to consist of blocks 1 formed preferably of cast steel or the like, said blocks being substantially rectangular in plan and having into; gral cleats formed on opposite corners thereof designated 2, said cleats having their inner surfaces provided with portions designated 3 that are adapted to engage oneside of the base flange of the rail A. Each of the blocks 1 is also formed with a T-shaped groove 4: intersecting its under side and adapted to receive a bar of steel indicated at 5, said bar being preferably a discarded rail with which railroads are abundantly supplied and which are ordinarily waste material. The inner edges of the blocks 1 are formed with parallel bars 6 extended from the block opposite the parallel sides 4 of the the upper side of a block in the corners not occupied by the integral cleats 2 and to be secured thereto by means of bolts 8 or other suitable fastenin'gs, said cleats being also formed with undercut portions 9 that are adapted to engage the base flanges of the rail A.

the two blocks and said bar secured to-tacblocks by means of bolts or suitable'fastenr ings inserted throu h the hole 6 in the bars 6v and alined holes ormed in said bar 5.

When myimproved brace is in position, it

will be apparent that all tendency of the rails to spread caused by the pressure of the train thereon is avoided and the track will be kept in a safe condition at all times.

Having thus; described the invention what I claim is 1. In a rail brace, blocks having integral cleats mounted thereon on opposite corners thereof and provided with undercut portions adapted to engage the base flanges of a rail, other cleats removably secured to said blocks, and means to connect said blocks.

2. In a rail. brace, blocks having integral cleats formed on opposite corners thereof and provided with undercut portions adapted to engage the base flanges of the rail, other cleats removably secured to said block and' also provided with undercut portions adapted to engage the base flanges of the rail, and a' bar of rigid material connecting said blocks and secured thereto.

3. A rail. brace comprising blocks having integral cleats mounted on opposite corners engaging the T-shaped grooves in the blocks 10 thereof and provided; with undercut p01- and secured to the bars on the blocks.

tions adapted to engage the base flanges of In testimony whereof I affix my signature a rail, other cleats removably secured to the in presence of two Witnesses.

other corners of said blocks, said blocks q i being provided with T-shaped grooves in- YJQOSEPH PRATT tel-seating their under surfaces, bars extend- Witnesses:

ingfrom said blocksiand opposite the paral- WERNIE EVANS,

lei sides 01": said grooves, and a T-shaped bar 0. R. TREADWAY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

